Tech stocks: Verizon surges off Vodafone talk

Aug. 29, 2013
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An Apple iPhone. / Amy Sancetta, AP

by Brett Molina, USA TODAY

by Brett Molina, USA TODAY

A potential deal with U.K. carrier Vodafone has Verizon shares soaring. Let's look at the tech stocks to watch Thursday.

Verizon surges. Shares of the wireless carrier are up more than 5% in pre-market trading after Vodafone confirmed talks with Verizon to purchase a stake in the company have resumed.

Vodafone owns a 45% stake in Verizon Wireless, and Verizon is reportedly talking with banks about financing a deal worth $100 billion.

Shares of Vodafone are up nearly 8%.

Google flat after top Android exec leaves. Shares of the tech titan are barely up this morning after one of its top Android executives announced he was leaving.

According to All Things D, Hugo Barra -- who served as vice president of product management and often appeared during public Google events -- is leaving the company to take a job with Chinese phone maker Xiaomi.

This is the second major executive departure for Google's Android division. In March, Andy Rubin left his role as head of Android, but remains with the company as part of the Google X lab.